With light, fluffy lemon cake and a strawberry buttercream frosting on top, these strawberry lemon cupcakes are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! Real strawberries and lemon make them delicious, while a cake mix shortcut makes them easy.
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Pin RecipeThese strawberry lemon cupcakes are the perfect spring treat! They are fluffy, moist, and full of zesty lemon flavor. The vibrant strawberry frosting is the perfect complement to this delicious dessert. Best of all, these cupcakes are simple to make with minimal prep time required.
If you love lemony desserts like Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie and Lemon Bundt Cake, then you’re going to love these strawberry lemon cupcakes too!
Easy Strawberry Lemon Cupcake Recipe
In addition to being delicious, these strawberry lemon cupcakes are incredibly easy since they start with white cake mix. No measuring out all-purpose flour, baking soda, and baking powder! All you have to do is mix the cake mix with eggs, milk, and a few other ingredients. Once the lemon cupcakes are baked and cooled, it’s time to make the frosting.
The sweet strawberry frosting is made with butter, powdered sugar, and fresh strawberries, which makes it extra delicious. Just like that, you’ll have a tasty homemade frosting that pairs perfectly with the bright, citrusy lemon cupcakes. They’re like strawberry lemonade cupcakes!
These easy cupcakes are sure to be a hit at your next party or gathering. They’d be great for a bridal shower, baby shower, or as a festive Easter dessert.
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Ingredients for Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- White cake mix
- Eggs – Let these come to room temperature.
- Milk – Use whole milk for best results.
- Canola oil – Vegetable oil is fine too.
- Grated lemon zest
- Fresh lemon juice – Zest the lemon first, then juice it.
Frosting:
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Butter – Let this soften so it’s easy to mix in with the other ingredients. Use unsalted butter.
- Fresh strawberries – Use a fork to crush them, then reserve some additional strawberries for garnish.
Variations
- Try swapping the strawberries for raspberries.
- Add crushed strawberries to cream cheese frosting for strawberry cream cheese frosting and use that instead of the strawberry buttercream.
- Add a drop of red food coloring to the frosting for a more pronounced pink color.
How to Make Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
- Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the first 6 ingredients; beat on low for 30 seconds, then beat on medium for 2 minutes.
- Bake: Fill the prepared cups halfway with the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.
- Cool: Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to finish cooling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and strawberry puree; beat until smooth.
- Finish: Frost the cupcakes with a piping bag, then garnish with additional strawberries.
Quick Tip
If you don’t want to pipe the frosting, here are some ways to frost cupcakes without a piping bag.
Serving Suggestions
Fresh strawberries are a beautiful garnish for these strawberry lemon cupcakes, but there are other options too! A piece of candied lemon peel or lemon zest will add more citrusy flavor to the top of the cupcakes. Or, try sprinkling white chocolate curls over the tops for an elegant touch.
How to Store Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes
Strawberry lemon cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight container in the freezer; let them thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
FAQs
The ideal temperature to bake cupcakes is 350ºF. This will ensure that the cupcakes are cooked through and have a light, fluffy texture.
Yes, cupcakes with homemade buttercream or cream cheese frosting should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Bakeries keep cupcakes moist by using a few different methods. First, they use the proper ratio of liquid ingredients to ensure that it is not too dry. Second, they make sure to use fresh, high-quality ingredients and avoid over-mixing the batter. Finally, bakeries may apply a simple syrup or glaze to the top of the cupcake to keep it moist.
The secret to fluffy cupcakes is in the eggs. Using room-temperature eggs will help them hold air when beaten. Beating adds air bubbles which create a light and airy texture when baked. Additionally, make sure to use fresh ingredients and avoid over-mixing the batter to prevent a dense, dry cupcake.
More Cupcake Recipes
Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 package white cake mix regular size
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Frosting:
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup crushed fresh strawberries
- Additional fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients; beat on low 30 seconds. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Fill prepared cups half full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.
- Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
- For frosting, in a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except additional strawberries; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes with a piping bag. Garnish with additional strawberries. Store in the refrigerator.
